Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni speaking The Mandalorian.Photograph: Jesse Grant (Getty Photographs)
Although 2022 was full of many improbable Star Wars recollections, only a few of these centered on the Mandalorian and Grogu. That modifications this week with the season three premiere of The Mandalorian, which picks up each from the tip of its second season, which was over two years in the past, in addition to The Guide of Boba Fett, during which each characters appeared in vital roles.
The present’s return additionally marks the return of Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau. The Mandalorian writers-producers labored on 2021’s Guide of Boba Fett however spent most of 2022 making not simply this season of The Mandalorian, however upcoming reveals Ahsoka and Skeleton Crew, all of that are set in the identical time interval—after Return of the Jedi however earlier than The Pressure Awakens.
With a lot Star Wars occurring in and round The Mandalorian season three, when io9 sat down with Favreau and Filoni, we wished to find out about all of it. How did the alternatives made in season two of The Mandalorian and The Guide of Boba Fett have an effect on this season—after which, most intriguingly, what’s the plan transferring forward with a number of new reveals on the horizon?
Germain Lussier, io9: Season two [of The Mandalorian] ended by bringing in Luke Skywalker, and clearly that’s not a choice you guys got here to calmly. So discuss to me a bit of bit about balancing Pandora’s field of fan expectations in addition to the potential shrinking of the Star Wars universe, as a result of the present was all the time in regards to the Mandalorian till that second.
Luke Skywalker on The Mandalorian.Picture: Lucasfilm
Jon Favreau: Proper. The entire first season … although there have been Easter eggs … we steered utterly clear [of direct reference]. However in season two, as a result of we had already established ourselves, we had been undoubtedly open to what may or ought to overlap. And like, for instance, there was loads of dialogue about that Mandalorians don’t take their helmets off, however but in The Clone Wars, clearly their helmets are off on a regular basis. And so as an alternative of operating from that, we figured let’s go proper at it and have Bo-Katan. And since Katee Sackhoff is anyone who may play each roles. It appeared like a extremely enjoyable selection for us. In order that was one thing that was meant to assist make clear issues.
And with Luke, that was one thing I keep in mind as we had been discussing who it may or must be, and also you depend who’s left and who’s on the market, and what we perceive that character to have been doing, Dave was like, “It doesn’t make sense for it to be anyone else however Luke.” And in order that’s why we introduced Mark Hamill in whereas we had been enhancing season one earlier than it aired. We introduced him into to a droid voice and that was our approach to get him in so that folks weren’t going to be suspicious if we noticed him coming in or out.
We confirmed him episodes and the reveal of Grogu and all that, and he was up for it. After which it turned about how do you really obtain it, accomplish it, and preserve it a secret. Nevertheless it was all story-driven is my level. It was all about what makes probably the most sense at any given time. However that’s a shedding battle if we’re going to attempt to preserve outdoing surprises on that degree. We’re by no means going to get there. However what we will do is we will possibly have some sudden selections occur and have fascinating reveals. However all of it needs to be in service of the story and the character improvement.
Grogu on The Guide of Boba Fett …with a Rancor.Picture: Lucasfilm
io9: One other shock was seeing the Mandalorian and Grogu in The Guide of Boba Fett and season three of The Mandalorian clearly picks up after these occasions. What had been the positives of getting advised that portion of their story on that present? Since you really feel like, as an alternative of doing an eight-episode season three, it may have been 10 episodes and people are episodes one and two. So inform me about the good thing about doing these episodes and selecting up after that.
Favreau: It turned clear to me as we had been what their lives can be like aside … I assume you could possibly do Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Child as like Butch Cassidy a couple of episodes and the Sundance Child individually. However they’re each bumming. They’re each not their greatest selves with out the opposite individual, however but you wish to have time spent aside. And so I used to be pondering extra how you’ll do it in a novel. You’d be other than them, however you’d examine in. The 2 years between when the final episode aired of season two and [now] allowed for time to go. Nevertheless it did pressure us to create tales round them, every individually. It simply felt like that’s the place the dramatic momentum was. And but we felt that point needed to be spent aside and we needed to present development, in order that once we meet Grogu now we perceive why his skills are totally different. And in addition the truth that the Mandalorian has to find out about what he has to do, or can do, to be permitted again into the fold after committing the one sin that was very clear from the primary scene of the primary episode, that was a part of his id.
The Mandalorian chats with Ahsoka. Picture: Lucasfilm
io9: On the earnings name again in 2020, the place many of those reveals had been introduced, [Lucasfilm president] Kathleen Kennedy stated that you simply guys had been constructing in the direction of a sort of climactic occasion. Clearly, issues have modified since then. You added Skeleton Crew, you misplaced Rangers [of the New Republic], Ahsoka is tying in, Jon you stated you already wrote season 4 [of The Mandalorian] to tie in. Are we nonetheless main in the direction of a climactic occasion, or what’s occurring there?
Favreau: I feel loads of it’s but to be decided. I do know that the story that we’re telling is unquestionably rising to decision in sure areas. I feel quite a bit goes to key on issues that at the moment are being revealed as we’re coordinating in the identical time-frame. What’s occurring in Ahsoka, as you possibly can think about with Ahsoka, you’re coping with characters who’ve a wider view of what’s occurring and a richer historical past. And so from the Mandalorian’s perspective, he’s solely seeing a sliver of what’s occurring. The viewers goes to expertise issues via different characters’ eyes, and I feel that’s going to talk to what’s occurring within the bigger context of what’s occurring within the galaxy.
We’ll have extra from Favreau and Filoni quickly, together with some fascinating perception on the Armorer in addition to Filoni’s foray into live-action with Ahsoka. Season three of The Mandalorian debuts March 1.
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